Sluice riffle



Jan. 14, 1941.

R. l. MGDONALD sLUIcE RIFFLE Filed- March 24, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 14, 1941.

R. l. McDoNALD 2,228,607

SLUICE RIFFLE Filed Maron 24, 1939 s lsheets-sheet 2 9E-Igual IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Jam 14, l941 R. l. McboNALD SLUICE RIFFLE Filed March 24. 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet .'5

I'dn

lmmaz@ INVENTOR.

BY l

ATTORNEYS.

Peiented Jen. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to vsluice riiiles, the primary object of the invention being to provide means whereby the rile may be adjusted to adapt it for use in riiliing materials having various degrees of specific gravity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sluice riiile of the type which will treat a concentrated product having a higher specific gravity than the bulk of the original material, to separate the material of high specific gravity, in a continuous operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a riflie constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2`2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figurell is a plan view of a modified form of riie surface.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the sluice bottom is indicated by the reference character 5,

the bottom being made up of a plurality of independent sections, the adjacent ends of the sections being spaced apart as clearly shown by Figure 2 of the drawings. The upper surfaces of these sections are formed with longitudinal V-shaped grooves 6 through which the material having a higher specic gravity than the bulk of the original material, passes in flowing over the riilie.

'Ihese riiile sections, of which the bottom is formed, are secured to the side members I which guard the side edges of the sections of the rifile, to confine the material passing over the rie, to the sluice bottom.

It will of course be understood that the sluice box is supported in the usual way, so that the sluice bottom over which the material moves, is inclined, the material gravitating to the bottom of the sluice box. Y

As clearly shown by Figure 2 of the drawings, the lower edge of one section of the sluice bottom, is slightly elevated and spaced from the upper edge of the adjacent lower sluice bottom section, the lower edges of the sluicelbottom sections being beveled as at 8. Mounted on each bottom section, and Varranged adjacent to the upper edge thereof, is an adjusting plate 9, the plates being of lengths to extend the entire width of the bottom of the sluice box. As shown, each of these plates is formed with elongated openings for the reception of the bolts I0, which bolts also lextend through the bottom sections, so that by loosening the bolts, the adjusting plate may be moved to adjust the free edge thereof with respect to the lower edge of the adjacent upper bottom section, widening or narrowing the space between the adjusting plate and adjacent upper bottom section, adapting the sluice box for use in treating various grades of material. These adjusting plates S extend upwardly at oblique angles with respect to the bottoms of the sections, presenting inclined surfaces over which the material passes.

From the foregoing it will be seen that material gravitating over the bottom of the sluice box, will pass over the adjusting plates 9, and material of high specific gravity, will fall downwardly between the free edges of the adjusting plate 9 and adjacent lower edges of the upper bottom sections, where the material will fall into the y launder II supported directly thereunder.

In the modified form of the invention as illuse trated by Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, each bottom section of the sluice box is provided with angularly disposed rillle plates I2, the riille plates I2 having their upper surfaces beveled towards the outer edges thereof, providing wide shoulders I3 against which the material contacts in flowing over the bottom of the sluice box.

In this form of the invention, each bottom section of the sluice box is formed with a longitudinal passageway I3 into which material passes in flowing over the bottom of the sluice box.

In the construction of the sluice box, the sections of which the bottom is constructed, are arranged so that the lower edge of the adjacent upper sections are elevated slightly with. respect to the upper edges of the adjacent lower sections, and spaced apart. The space between the vsections of the sluice box bottom, are partially closed by the inclined plates I4 which have their inner ends spaced apart providing a space directly opposite to the discharge endsv of the passageways I3. In order that the sluice box may be used in treating materials of various specic gravities, the spaces at the discharge ends of the passageways I3 may be regulated as to Width, and with this end in view, I have provided an adjusting plate I5 which is held in position on the plate I4, by means of bolts I6 which extend through registering openings in the plates I4 and I'I, the plates I'I clamping the plates I5 against the lower surfaces of the plate I4. 'Ihus it will be seen that by loosening the bolts, the plates I5 may be eX- tended, and since these plates I5 are disposed adjacent to the spaced ends of the plates I4, the width of the space may be adjusted.

It might be further stated that these rile plates I2 cause the material passing through the sluice box, to have a boiling action to separate the various grades of material in the mass, according to the specic gravity of the materials.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to Y the construction shown and described, concentrate can be drawn olf in a continuous operation,

eliminating the necessity of cleaning riiiies in a batch operation, and thus increasing greatly the volume of material that can be run through the sluice box.

What is claimed is:

1. A sluice box including an inclined body portion, a bottom for the sluice box, said bottom comprising a plurality of spaced bottom sections,

said bottom sections being upwardly inclined in the direction of ow of the material passing through the body portion, the discharge end of each section being above the adjacent end of the adjacent section, and an adjustable upwardly inclined plate between the adjacent ends of the sections whereby the widths of the spaces between the adjacent ends of the sections, are regulated.

2. A sluice box including an inclined body portion, a bottom for the sluice box, said bottom comprising a. plurality of spaced bottom sections, said bottom sections being upwardly inclined in the direction. o-f ilow of the material passing through *the body portion, the upper surfaces of the sections having grooves formed therein, the discharge end of each section being above the adjacent end of the adjacent section, an upwardly inclined plate secured to one end of each section and having elongated openings, bolts disposed within the openings adjustably mounting the plates, said plates extending into the spaces between the adjacent sections, restricting the flow of material through the spaces between said sec tions.

ROBERT I. MCDONALD. 

